favorite winter squash

[momol]

Hi Grapes,

I would love to know what is/are your favorite winter squash(es). As I am new in growing W. squash, I would like to choose something with small nice tasty squash, compact/ bush habit and early for my next year plan.

Last year I grew Red Kuri, this year I grow several type of winter squashes, they are : red Kuri ( C. maxima, 90 days ), Yokohama ( C. moschata, 100 + days ) & pomme D'or ( C. pepo, 95 days ). from all tree, red kuri seems to be the earliest, they are about to be harvest and so far the taste is very nice, nutty, sweet, and dry.
Pomme d'or are fruiting well, beautiful tiny squash which I haven't tried yet ( looking forward to it ).
As for Yokohama, it is the longest growing type from all 3, I just seen it's female flower this morning, but with out male flower, and I have absolutely no idea about the taste.
So for now, Red Kuri is my favorite.

Please share me some idea about your favorite winter squash and why you adore them.

Many thanks in advance,

Momol

[wellie]

I like.....

Butternut Squash, as it is very versatile and the seed cavity is small, so you get more flesh to use for cooking. It is also a very 'well-behaved' vine, that can be trained up an obelisque/wigwam or trellis.

Sweet Dumpling, is a really cute 'single portion' squash, with very attractive green & cream stripes, so very decorative, and if you start it early enough from seed and get an ideal summer, it is SO attractive climbing up a simple archway with other climbing vegetables, and it does taste lovely (Mine are doing appallingly this year by the way...)

Uchicoochi Kuku. No, joking - that's a made up name, because I can never pronounce it! I think they are your Red Kuri Squash. I know them as Onion Squash. They are shaped like a mature onion and bright orange in colour. I only managed three fruits from two vines this year in our British Summer (!) but I would vote this squash my all time favourite for flavour, ahead of Butternut now, which comes a close second.

Other than the above, I'm still learning. I wish you every success with yours, and I hope that my baby Crown Prince and pathetic Baby Bear Pumpkins (the size of my fist no less) actually end up tasting gorgeous!

[momol]

Thanks Wellie, it is very kind of you .

I haven't tried growing any butternut yet, they sounds excellent for small garden...I love hearing that they are well behave. I have been doing some search for the compact type squashes and found some several interesting species. Among them is Ponca butternut ( C. Moschata), an old heirloom which becoming popular again. it is said to be semi bush ( reaching 1.5 to 2 meters ), the fruit is small, weight 1 kg for a single serving,good taste, produce 4 or more fruit that keep well, the plant is early ( round 82 days ) and it is suitable for container growing.

The other I have found is : Redondo de tronco verde or Zapallito or Zapallito de trunco ( C. Maxima ).It come from south america ( Brazil if I am not mistake ), It is a bush type, very early 62 days, produce 6 to 8 green round fruit, weight 0.5 kg each, has good taste and slightly dry, it is an heirloom, can be use as summer squash and winter squash.

They are perfect candidat for small garden owner, I am really tempted to try them next year.
And like you, Uchiki kuri / red kuri will stay as my favorite.

My Red kuri produce very well this year, I have 8 big squashes and 2 tiny ones from 2 vine.
The other vine at the north side which I planted later this year, only produce around 3 squashed per vine, I am not complaining because it didn't get that much sun and space too.
Last year red kuri was not so good, from 2 vine they yield only 3 squashes, most of them were damage by the slugs at their tiny stage.


I heard that Crown Prince is rampant, Is it true? I wish you good luck with your Baby crown prince and Baby Bear Pumpkin. Do let me know how they taste
I haven't tried any of the mini pumpkin, I will in the coming future, and will let you know too But for now, I can't plant any more rampant type, my squashes has taken over my garden, I could hardly walk around... will have to better organize the planting for next year

Happy gardening,
Momol

[Headfry]

without doubt.....butternut squash for us! ooooooh the taste, the taste, cant wait !
Seeds are all kept neat in the squash. Easy!
yum yum
My butternuts are off and running! plants are growing like mad now!

[momol]

Hi Headfry,

Thanks for shearing me your favorite. How big/ long is your butternut squash plant ? And do they need long growing time until it's flowers in bloem/ even fruit mature ?
I am thinking of compact vine/ semi bush butternut which is early and produce some handfull of fruits ( enought for 2 person ). Perhaps I really should try Ponca butternut . I have some 10 winter squash vines and 4 summer squash vines ( yes, it is really too much for 2 person ) and now, they overtake the garden, I could hardly walk easily

I will try to do better for next year, want to be better organize...

Momol

[Peter]

Crown prince will cheerfully go twenty feet plus.

[momol]

Thanks Peter,

I will keep it in mind that Crown Prince is no go for small garden

Momol

[25cowlane]

Another vote for butternut squash here, we had a great harvest last year, really tasty and they stored superbly.

[raine]

My squash is avalon. I think it's a winter variety but i'm not sure. So far the fruits are very big but i didn't know when i planted it! it's taken up a lot of room (especially as i grew 3) but that suits me at the moment as we are struggling to clear the last third of our plot and it makes good ground cover.
Raine

[Heidi]

We like butternut squash, Harlequinn squash, Sweet Dumpling squash and Munchkin Pumpkins.

This year is our first year growing winter squash, and we're growing Butternut squash, Sweet Dumpling squash and Jack Be Little pumpkins. So far the Sweet Dumpling are doing well and are now produing small fruits, as are the Jack Be Little's, however so far no flowers or fruit on the Butternut Squash.

However, the Butternet and Sweet Dumpling are from saved seed, so this may be why the butternut are producing yet.

Next year will try 'true' butternut seed, and some Harlequinn and possibly some Munchkin, and if the Sweet Dumpling do well/taste nice this year them too. Will also look into other types/seeds and see whats new/around.

[momol]

Hi Grapes,

Thanks for sharing me yours favorite winter squashes. It will be great to get to know all sort off winter squashes growing habit and it's produce. It will be usefull for our next year plan ( space issue, growing lenght issue, size , taste... ).

And Heidi, I have just ordered some winter squashes seed from a German seed website, check it out ( but it is partially in German and English ) :
http://www.bobby-seeds.com/shop_content.php?coID=8
You could visit seed by size( it is a UK seed website ).

Next year I will go for Ponca butternut, Redondo di tronco, Vermicelli F1 ( vegetable spaghetty type ) & my old squashes ( Red kuri and Pomme d'or).

Happy squash planting,
Momol